Striking Sacramento County attorneys urge local government to reach deal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — The sound of bells and the chanting of striking Sacramento County government attorneys reached inside the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors chambers Wednesday.

The strikers stood outside, visible and audible through a window in the Sacramento County Administration Center. Their strike, now in its second week, is over what they say is the need for equitable wages.

Courts have ground to a standstill, they told supervisors during public comment at a meeting. Trials and hearings have been delayed.

“Do you think my members will lie down?” said Matt Chisholm, president of the Sacramento County Attorneys Association. “Sacramento deserves better.”

While some union members remained outside during the board meeting, many others filled seats inside the chambers. Over a dozen supporters spoke during the first public comment period, with others taking their turn later in the meeting.

Like many others who spoke, Public Defender Amanda Benson told supervisors of the emotional toll the work has on both prosecutors and defense attorneys. Not every attorney is equipped to handle that toll, Benson said. She urged supervisors to find an equitable solution.

Quirina Orozco, a prosecutor for almost 20 years, also spoke about the secondary trauma that follows her profession. Attorneys work with abused children and take hours of counseling to cope with that and other responsibilities.

“I really want to hammer in the gravity of the situation that we’re in,” she added.

Most speakers were limited to two minutes, though supervisors let many surpass the allotted time. District Attorney Thien Ho was granted five minutes, though he spoke for closer to 10.

Ho touched on the main points the union had focused on: experienced attorneys are leaving for more money, and neighboring or comparable counties pay more.

He also mentioned the trauma, not just from the work they must shoulder but because of worries over health care coverage. Some attorneys have cried in the bathroom because they see no end to the wage battle.

“I do not relish what I’m about to say,” Ho told supervisors.

He then pulled no punches when pointing to what he saw as the problem — County Executive Officer David Villanueva, as well as the county’s lead labor negotiator.

Ho said the county has offered a 3% salary increase, though it would eliminate a 3% deferred compensation match. It also would prohibit its right to strike.

The union in a statement called that “offensive.”

A county spokesperson couldn’t be reached for comment. However, the county in a statement posted online said the union wants full retroactive pay to July 2022 for cost of living, longevity and a 401K match, as well as a 5.5% equity salary raise that’s also retroactive. Additionally, it wants a 2% equity salary raise and 1% to 4% cost-of-living increase for a one-year extension to its contract starting in July 2025.

The county called union members among the highest paid in the county and in offices with the lowest vacancy rate.

Many others who have worked with or been assisted by prosecutors or public defenders also urged supervisors for the raise.

Emily Webb lives in a part of Sacramento near Interstate 80. Her family faced a nearby homeless encampment, with people dealing drugs by her house and others at times trying to get into their backyard as the family slept.

She said the district attorney’s office was the only one that showed any true concern for their plight.

“I hope that the attorneys are valued for the work they do,” Webb said.

Lorna Alejandro praised prosecutors for working with a family member who was a victim of sexual assault. They prepared that person for trial, and a victim’s advocate helped walk them through the process.

Supervisors took no action on the salaries at their meeting, though a comment by Supervisor Rich Desmond led the strikers to erupt into cheers at the meeting’s end.

“I for one think it needs to be the policy that we resolve this matter as soon as possible,” Desmond said as attorneys applauded. “Which is what we’ll be discussing in closed session.”

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